How did you find your current role at Self Service?
I’d been following the magazine’s founders, Ezra Petronio and Suzanne Koller at Petronio Associates, since I was at school, and I was a huge admirer of Self Service magazine. When I moved to Paris after university they were the people I really respected and wanted to work with.
Tell us about your home and office neighbourhoods.
My home is in the eighth arrondissement, just at the top of the rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré. It’s lovely on weekends as there is the Parc Monceau where I walk with my baby in her stroller. It’s a discreet, quiet residential area near the Grand Palais and the Tuileries – handy during show season! I like to take tea at the Hôtel Le Bristol. My office is in the Marais, which is very hipster, and it has beautiful views over the Centre Pompidou and southern Paris. I love the Marais because there are plenty of organic food options.
How would you describe your style?
Classic. Tomboyish. Relaxed chic.
Which items and brands do you have most of in your wardrobe?
I wear a lot of shirts and different variations of jeans! Isabel Marant and APC are everyday go-tos and I am obsessed with my APC Butler jeans.
What are your beauty essentials?
Argan oil; Penhaligon’s lavender bath oil; Prada Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger fragrance; homemade body scrub made with brown sugar, olive oil and lavender oil; Josie Maran tinted moisturiser; and Dior Lip Glow Color Reviver.
Which eateries and restaurants do you adore the most?
Merci on boulevard Beaumarchais for delicious takeout salads. Orient Extreme on rue Bayard for great tempura and sashimi – it’s a good place for a working lunch. Ralph’s on boulevard Saint-Germain – with its lovely courtyard terrasse, this is a super weekend spot for burgers and salads. Entrecôte on rue Marbeuf for the occasional treat; it serves only steak-frites with a special sauce. You need to get there early as you can’t reserve. Da Rosa on rue Mont Thabor is a fun place to meet at the end of the day with friends to share tapas and a glass of rosé.
Who are your Parisian style pin-ups?
Jane Birkin looks as though she never made too much of an effort but she’s so girlish and chic. Françoise Hardy’s nonchalance and easy femininity really appeal to me.
Which shops, streets and boutiques are thrilling you now in Paris?
I have a small baby so I am obsessed with Bonpoint on rue Tournon. It’s a mum’s heaven. I like Ami on boulevard Beaumarchais for cool menswear, and Buly on rue Bonaparte for fragrances and creams. I can always find something to wear at Isabel Marant and the must-stop shop is on rue Saintonge.
Which is your favourite view, and at what time of day?
It’s a cliché, but the Eiffel Tower seen from the pont de Bir-Hakeim on a fresh spring day. It’s one of my favourite bridges in Paris.
Tell us about your top walk in the city.
I love to walk along the quais, starting from rue Bonaparte in Saint-Germain, crossing over the bridge next to the Louvre, then walking along the Tuileries and up avenue Gabriel behind the Élysées.
Which cultural centres shouldn’t be missed?
The Fondation Louis Vuitton; the Palais de Tokyo; and the Picasso museum.
After dark you like to …
Since I have a baby I don’t go out so much any more! But I do love to go to dinner at Davé. I love the Hôtel Raphael bar, or the Mathis.
Which is the best day trip outside the city?
Without a doubt, hiring bikes at the Palace of Versailles. You can cycle for miles around the grounds. If you want to stay the night and make a weekend of it, stay at the Trianon Palace hotel.
Which Paris fashion houses and brands make you weak at the knees?
Louis Vuitton by Nicolas Ghesquière. I love everything he does! Coperni – [founders] Arnaud and Sébastien are so talented, I adore the extra-long-sleeved shirts and sweaters. Pallas for chic, well-cut tuxedo jackets. I’m obsessed by the childrenswear at Bonpoint, so chic and simple for my baby girl. Repossi – [artistic director] Gaia is super-talented and I literally never take off her Berbère earrings and rings. Paco Rabanne by Julien Dossena appeals to my tomboy side, particularly the dresses and flat, masculine shoes.
